Stacey Mudgett

Stacey attended and graduated from the rigorous Rio Hondo Police Academy in 1997. She was then hired by LAPD and graduated from the LAPD Police Academy in 1998. She worked patrol and other assignments in the crime ridden streets of South Central Los Angeles. She completed nearly 11 years of service with the LAPD. Stacey was one of the only LAPD Officers who was a member of both the “Urban Police Rifle Cadre” and the “Tactical Slug Shotgun Cadre.”

Stacey is a Gunsite Academy graduate. She is an NRA certified Range Safety Officer, and an NRA Rifle, Pistol and Personal Safety Instructor. Stacey was a California Post Certified Law Enforcement Rifle Instructor. She has taught firearms classes for civilians and law enforcement officers in four states over the past 12 years. Stacey has competed in more than 60 shooting matches and has earned many honors. Stacey is a Utah Concealed Firearms Permit Instructor.

In 2009 Stacey received a Citizen’s Commendation for her part in training and certifying three Officers as Glock Firearms Instructors for the Saratoga Springs, Utah, Police Department. Stacey and her husband, Larry Mudgett have coauthored numerous articles on firearms training and other related subjects.

Stacey and Larry are the owners of and instructors for “Marksmanship Matters” conducting defensive firearms training in Utah County.

Larry Mudgett

Larry has been training with firearms as a martial art since the age of 17. “The father of modern weapon craft,” Jeff Cooper, was Larry’s friend and mentor for 36 years. Larry also trained and instructed with World Champion Combat Shooter Ray Chapman for several years. Larry had the privilege of training with, or competing with all five of the original “Combat Pistol Masters” as designated by Jeff Cooper.

Larry was an Infantry Light Weapons Sergeant in the First Air Cavalry Division in Vietnam in 1967/1968. He participated in numerous fights including the battle of Tam Quan which historians describe as one of the 10 bloodiest battles of the Vietnam War. His military decorations include the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal for Heroism and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge.

Larry joined the LAPD in 1969 and served for nearly 35 years. He was a member of the world famous LAPD SWAT team for 14 years where his duties included Entry Team, Sniper, Hostage Rescue Instructor, Tactics Instructor and Chief Firearms Instructor. He was also assigned to guard three U.S. Presidents and numerous foreign heads of state.

Larry was the Chief Firearms Instructor for the LAPD’s elite Metropolitan Division for more than a decade. In 1990 Larry was unanimously selected as the Metropolitan Division Officer of the Year.

In 1991 Larry transferred to the Police Academy where he served for 13 years as the Training Division Chief Firearms Instructor. He was responsible for the training of 10,000 LAPD Officers. He was awarded the LAPD Meritorious Service Medal for his commitment and achievement in providing the finest firearms instruction in LAPD history.

Since 1878, 49,000 Men and Women have worn the badge of the LAPD. Larry was the 7th Officer in the history of the LAPD to be awarded the medal of valor twice. He was also one of only 39 Officers to ever shoot a perfect score on the LAPD Advanced Combat Pistol Course (Bonus Course) which he accomplished not once but three times. During his LAPD career Larry received 9 major awards and more than 100 commendations.

During his 47 years of teaching firearms he has trained the USMC Recon, the USMC Special Operations Training Group, Department of Energy SWAT Teams, the LAPD SIS, the California Highway Patrol Special Response Team and SWAT Officers from numerous agencies. He has taught for the U.S. State Department and has also trained SWAT teams from several foreign countries.

Larry is an accomplished competitive shooter, a six time Gunsite Academy Graduate, an NRA instructor, a Utah CFP Instructor, a Law Enforcement Instructor and was a Gunsite Academy Range Master for 9 years. He has written and published numerous articles on firearms, competitive shooting and firearms training. Larry has qualified in Superior Court as an expert witness on firearms and firearms training. He has also qualified as an expert witness on Firearms and Tactics for LAPD administrative hearings.

Larry and his wife Stacey are the owners of and instructors for “Marksmanship Matters” in Utah, where they teach Defensive Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Predator Defense and other related classes.